Aquatic glove



G. ASHMAN.

N0.Z86,106. PatentedOct. 2,1883.

UNITED STATns PATENT UrrrcE.

GEORGE ASHMAN, OF GINOIITNATI, OHIO.

AQUATIC GLOVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,106, dated October 2, 1883, Application filed June 25,1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ASHMAN, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aquatic Gloves, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a top view of the aquatic glove, partly in section.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and effective swimming or aquatic glove for use in sporting in the water, enabling the swimmer to quickly and easily propel himself; and to that end it consists in having the glove made of any suitable material, provided with webs between the fingers, preferably composed of oiled silk or other non-absorbent material, so that as the fingers of the hand are spread apart the web will close up the interstices between the fingers and give the swimmer great powers of propulsion, all of which will now be set forth. in detail.

In the drawing, A is an ordinary glove, formed of oiled silk, gutta-percha, or any nonabsorbing material, provided at its back end with the slit or opening B for securing the same around the wrist. This opening is inadepreferably on the back of wrist, instead of the front, as is the usual custom, as by this means the water is prevented from forcing its way into the palm. The opening is fastened to the wrist by means of buttons, elastics, or any other suitable manner. The forward part of the back and fingers are made in the usual manner and turned down at the sides of the thumb and fingers. The palm or lower blank of the glove is made in the usual manner and widens out to form the web 0. The upper is turned down at the sides of the fingers and stitched to the web, as shown at E. In this manner the web 0 forms the bottom of the finger. This is the preferable manner of forming the fingers, though an ordinary glove may be used with the web stitched to the outside; but when formed in this manner there is adouble thickness which lessens the flexibility of the fingers.

I am aware that it is not new, broadly, to construct gloves with flexible wings, as shown in Patent No. 15,455. I am also aware that it is not new to provide gloves with extended flexible wings, and I do not therefore claim this, broadly; but the present invention has reference to webs in the palm of the hand and fingers formed of one piece of material, as

herein shown, but not made of material which can be distended.

NVhat I claim as new is An aquatic glove having a web, as herein shown, covering the interstices between the fingers on the palm side of the hand, the same formed of one piece of material, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of May, 1888, in the presence of witnesses.

GEORGE ASHMAN.

WVitnesses:

HENRY J HARROP, W. F. KLEINE, Jr. 

